Paving machines (also referred to as road pavers and asphalt finishers) are commonly used to apply, spread and compact a paving, i.e., a mat of asphalt (bitumen) material, relatively evenly over a work surface. These machines are generally used in the construction of roads, parking lots and other areas. An asphalt paving machine generally includes a hopper for receiving asphalt material from a truck, a conveyor system for transferring the asphalt rearwardly from the hopper for discharge onto a roadbed, and a set of augers to evenly spread the paving material in front of a screed plate. The screed plate smoothes and compacts the asphalt material, ideally leaving behind a mat of uniform depth, density, texture and smoothness.
One noticeable disadvantage inherent with the use of asphalt is that the petroleum distillates in the asphalt tend to emit fumes including substantial amounts of hydrocarbon, particularly polycyclic aromatic compounds. These polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAC) are capable of causing harm to the operators of the asphalt paving machine and other construction personnel in the immediate vicinity of the paving machine.
An exemplary fumes abatement system for a road paver with a screed is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,371 A of Caterpillar Paving Products. The fumes abatement system dispels noxious fumes that are emitted from asphalt in the hopper of and from behind the paving machine during paving operations. The fumes abatement system utilizes existing plate walls of the feeder tunnel and superstructure to eliminate additional parts and for increased durability. A high capacity blower and a tall exhaust stack are used to disperse the fumes well above the operators of the machine.
For a so-called spray paver, which sprays a liquid of rubber-asphalt onto a surface at a temperature around 200° C., U.S. Pat. No. 7,094,001 B2 discloses a method and system for controlling malodorous emissions that form during spraying the rubber-asphalt onto the surface. The method includes spraying an asphalt substance onto the surface while moving over the surface, and releasing a liquid agent so that molecules of the liquid agent mix with molecules of the emission-causing substance. The liquid agent is pressurized before being released, and therefore forms a mist. This mist mixes with the emission-causing substance either on the surface or in the air space above the surface. The system includes an outlet for releasing a liquid agent, wherein the outlet is positioned to mix odor-controlling molecules with asphalt substance molecules.
The present disclosure is directed, at least in part, to improving or overcoming one or more aspects of prior systems.